Milwaukee Brewers - PlayerWatch

February 08, 2013|Reuters

RHP Wily Peralta put a shaky Class AAA season (7-11, 4.66 ERA in 28 starts) behind him last September and performed so well (2-1, 2.48 ERA in six games) that he has a foot in the door to man a spot in the rotation. He's likely battling with LHP Chris Narveson, RHP Mike Fiers and RHP Mark Rogers for three available starting jobs.

SS Alex Gonzalez passed his physical, and his one-year deal with the Brewers became official. Gonzalez began the 2012 season as the starting shortstop but suffered a knee injury in early May and was lost for the season. The Brewers have committed to young SS Jean Segura as their starter for 2013, but they coveted Gonzalez as insurance at that position as well as other infield spots.

RHP Mark Rogers will vie for one of the spots in the rotation during spring training, but Rogers is out of minor league options and would never clear waivers to be sent to the minors. Thus, if he doesn't win a rotation job, he probably will be shuffled into a bullpen role. Rogers, 27, went 3-1 with a 3.92 ERA in seven starts for Milwaukee last year.

LF Ryan Braun became involved in a performance-enhancing drug controversy for the second consecutive offseason when his name surfaced in connection with a Miami clinic alleged to have distributed performance-enhancing drugs to several baseball players. Braun explained that his attorneys used clinic director Anthony Bosch as a consultant in preparing for his appeal hearing the previous year on a positive drug test, which was overturned. He said that's how his name appeared in the "money owed" ledger. In any event, it was a connection that Braun didn't need after his drug test saga of the previous winter.

1B Mat Gamel will be the starter to begin the season because of the knee surgery that will sidelined 1B Corey Hart for the first six to eight weeks of the season. The Brewers have no obvious backup at first base behind Gamel, but INF Taylor Green has some experience at the position and will get the chance to make the roster in that role.